Quirk, Jacqueline

Soprano Jacqueline Quirk is making her mark in the realms of operatic performance throughout the world as one of opera’s outstanding stars. She most recently made her Carnegie Hall Debut as a finalist in the International Verismo Opera Competition. Ms. Quirk is recognized for roles that reveal a captivating full lirico-spinto soprano with an acclaimed versatile range. She is celebrated as a leading interpreter for her roles as Mimi (La Boheme), Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly) and Nedda (I Pagliacci). After her return from a concert tour in Italy, Ms. Quirk’s upcoming engagements include many debuts. First starting with Opera Idaho, as Marguerite in Faust, then a return to Hawaii Opera as Ortlinde in Die Walkure, a debut with Opera Jacksonville as Micaela (Carmen), Mimi ( La Bohème) with Miami Lyric Opera, and Nedda (I Pagliacci) in the Bechstein Concert Series at the Players Club in Gramercy Park, NYC. Jacqueline is set for numerous concert tours of her All American Concert “Of Thee I Sing” in New York, Florida, Hawaii and then back to Europe in September, 2010.

The New Bern Sun Journal says:

“Building on the resounding voice of the principal lead, Asheville Lyric Opera delivered a stellar performance of Madama Butterfly. As expected, Soprano Jacqueline Quirk as Cio-Cio San was the jewel in the troupe’s operatic crown. Quirk provided strong voice, co-mingled with tacit emotion expressed in both song and acting. She brought experience to the stage and provided a positive operatic experience.”

“Jacqueline Quirk was a properly ardent Mimi. Quirk had the high notes for the spectacular arias like ‘Mi chiamano Mimi’, and was at her expressive best in the Act 3 scene ‘Donde Lieta’ in which the consumptive heroine tells Rodolfo he can keep a pink bonnet in memory of her.”

Soprano Jacqueline Quirk in “La Traviata”, Asheville NC 2007

Soprano Jacqueline Quirk in the title role of “Madama Butterfly”, Asheville NC 2006

Ms. Quirk is also highly regarded for her interpretation of roles including Micaela (Carmen), Marguerite (Faust), and is broadening her range into the Verdi sopranos such as Leonora and Desdemona. The soprano also has a passion for American Opera, and was privileged to make her debut at the Kennedy Center (DC) with Patti LuPone and conductor Steven Mercurio in the opera Regina. Highlighting her career performances are: Hawaii Opera Theatre, Washington National Opera, La Monnaie (BE), Asheville Lyric Opera, Annapolis Opera, Opera Florham and Vero Beach Opera. In 2006-07’ Season, Ms. Quirk performed, Nella/Suor Dolcina (Il Trittico) with Hawaii Opera Theatre, Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly) with Asheville Lyric Opera and the Mansfield Symphony, as well as a fêted return to Asheville Lyric Opera as Violetta (La Traviata), and an illustrious Mimi in (La Boheme) with Saint Petersburg Opera. Jacqueline toured in a Pacific Rim Concert Tour with Hawaii Opera Theatre in Great American Voices, a Key West tour as Mimi (La Bohème) with Jacksonville Lyric Opera, Mrs. Anderson (A Little Night Music) with Hawaii Opera Theatre, and made her debut in 2009 with the Canton Symphony as Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly), as well as in ITALY singing in the Silver Bay Music Festival, another appearance with Hawaii Opera as Cio- Cio San in the GALA Fundraiser Event with Kimono Couture Fashion Designer, Anne Namba. Then another Mimi (La Boheme) with First Coast Opera.

Also active as a concert artist, Ms. Quirk has been a featured soloist with Symphonies in Honolulu, Tanglewood, Pittsburgh, Mansfield, Jacksonville, Washington National, Bangkok, Choral Arts Society (DC), and the Little Orchestra Society (NY). She was a finalist in the International Classical Singer Competition (NY), the Violetta DuPont Vocal Competition, Paul Robeson Competition, Di Capo Opera Competition and The Singer of the Year Competition (Shreveport Opera). She holds a B.F.A in Vocal Performance form Carnegie Mellon University and her M. A. from New York University. Ms. Quirk was a member of the Mae Z. Orvis Opera Studio with Hawaii Opera Theatre, as well as the Apprentice Programs of Tanglewood Opera Festival, and in Europe with Opera Plus and La Monnaie (BE).